Georgetown @ Villanova preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 20, 2019 ) Villanova 73, Georgetown 85

After a challenging two-game road trip, Villanova must be glad to return home for a four-game homestand. The 16th-ranked Wildcats begin that homestand Saturday when they face long-time rival Georgetown.

The Wildcats had won six in a row before absorbing a 71-60 loss at Marquette earlier this month, and then they nearly fell at Creighton on Tuesday before late 3-pointers from Collin Gillespie and Saddiq Bey helped them survive against the Bluejays, 64-59. "That's what we do," Gillespie said. "That's Villanova basketball. Coming into an opponent's arena, staying 94x50 feet with your brothers and coaches and knowing there are going to be ups and downs and they're going to go on runs. Battle for 40 minutes. We did a pretty good job of that today. We got down early but we battled back and just stole the game." Georgetown, meanwhile, is coming off a 21-point rout of St. John's for its first Big East win of the season after losing at Providence and Seton Hall. “Home cooking,” coach Patrick Ewing said after the win. “Being back at home, I think that also helped.”

TIME: Noon ET. TV: Fox Sports 1

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (11-5, 1-2 Big East): Georgetown rolled over St. John's in the first half, leading 53-26 at intermission, and Mac McClung scored 21 of his 24 points in the opening period. Terrell Allen added 16 points - more than twice his season average of 6.8 - and the senior guard has registered double-digit points in three of the last four outings. Additionally, two Hoyas had double-doubles against St. John's as Jamorko Pickett (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Omer Yurtseven (10 points, 11 boards) were each a handful for the Red Storm.

ABOUT VILLANOVA (11-3, 2-1): Gillespie was the only player for Villanova with more than 11 points in the win over Creighton, as he finished with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting and knocked down 4-of-5 attempts from long range. Gillespie had shot better than 41 percent only once in his previous seven outings, but he found his shooting touch in raising his scoring average to 15 points per game, just ahead of Bey (14.0). Justin Moore (12.1 points), who has given the Wildcats a lift over the last six weeks, was limited to eight points on 3-of-13 shooting, and he is just 2-of-15 from 3-point range in the last two games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Villanova F Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is 3-of-12 from the field in the last two games and 8-of-27 over the last four outings.

2. The teams split two meetings last season with each winning by 12 on its home court.

3. Gillespie has made multiple 3-pointers in 10 of his last 11 games.

PREDICTION: Villanova 70, Georgetown 58